Gift Of Divination
by Running Bird
Summary: *CURRENTLY REWRITING* Born on a winter night, hair reminiscent of the night sky and eyes devoid of color. They called her a demon child. Hinata. [Historical!AU] SasuHina KibaHina NejiHina


**Hello everyone :) I've always wanted to write a historical fic, so here it is! While it will include romance, I haven't decided on the main pairing yet. In any case it'll be Hinata with one of the male leads.**

**Important note**

**The setting is** **feudal/medieval Japan, during the Sengoku (Warring States) period. It was a ****time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The story takes place in the Tohoku region, found north of mainland Japan. Time period is****late sixteenth century.**

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**Gift Of Divination**

**First Omen**

Winter was as harsh as always that year. Northern Japan shuddered beneath a thick white blanket, waiting longingly each night for the morning sun and each day for the coming spring. A restless wind was stirring up the scenery. It reminded each and every inhabitant of a certain inland village of the conflicts going on in the capital, Kyoto, and in other critical parts of Japan. Travelling merchants who stopped by regularly shared the latest news with the people here.

Occasionally, the villagers would steal a glance at the lone stone castle towering atop the only hill in the vicinity. Beyond this landmark spread dense forests and mountainous regions. A single dirt path wound up towards the castle. It was common knowledge among the villagers that an exiled aristocratic family had settled up there prior to the ongoing civil war. They were known as the Hyuga clan. Versed in the military arts, the members of this noble clan trained the villagers in exchange for livestock and services. The latter only had access to the ground floor of the castle, where assigned members of the Hyuga family carried out classes. Nobody from the village knew what lay above.

Unknown to the villagers, a quiet and empty soul was trapped in a room on the highest floor. Sobs were heard yet ignored at night. A mother's embrace was sought yet denied. A lonely child lived day in and day out in this room.

A demon child.

Hinata.

Born on a winter night similar to this one, this young girl was the family head's elder daughter. However, she looked nothing like the rest of the Hyuga. Her hair was reminiscent of the night sky. Her eyes were devoid of color. At first, the Hyuga believed that she was blind. Yet, her lack of pupils intrigued them. When they discovered that she could indeed see, they called her a bad omen. Hinata's mother tried to sort matters out with the elders, but her husband, Lord Hiashi, coerced her into silence. The Hyuga elders were convinced that, were the villagers ever to encounter this unusual child, they would ostracize the whole Hyuga family.

When Hinata was no longer an infant, she was isolated from the others.

On the other hand, Hinata's younger sister Hanabi, born five years after her, was normal. She shared a happy life with her family downstairs. Their mother had passed away some time after Hanabi's first birthday due to the harsh weather. All the blame had been placed on the demon child, as always.

Still, regardless of the circumstances and given that Hinata was the first child of the family's head, a proper upbringing was required. Chosen among the Hyuga themselves, tutor upon tutor were charged with her education. During his limited free time, Lord Hiashi took it upon himself to teach her the Hyuga fighting style. He suspected that she would eventually need to defend herself in the coming years.

Naturally, the elders protested. They argued that more focus should be placed upon Hinata's cousin, Hyuga Neji. He was an orphaned boy who was one year older than her and also the only child of Hiashi's deceased twin brother. Lord Hiashi figured out that the elders were unwilling to allow a woman – demon child or not – to succeed the family leadership after him. Thus, he paid them no heed. At least, he tried to. They relentlessly bombarded Lord Hiashi with suggestions to adopt Neji as his heir, to start planning for each child's samurai – especially Neji's – and to seek suitors too while he was at it.

Years had passed, but while they had seen Lord Hiashi's wife pregnant twice, none of the villagers had ever glimpsed Hinata. Whenever they asked about her, the Hyuga would reply that she was blind and hence could not set foot outside.

Lord Hiashi's death came like a finishing blow. The sole barrier which stood between his daughter and the Hyuga had been taken down during a territorial conflict with another noble clan. His ashes were kept alongside his wife's in the castle basement. While all wept in the family and the village, merely a numb sensation gripped Hinata's mind at her father's passing. She was aware that she had to shed tears, at least to prove to the superstitious elders that she was more human than demon. Her efforts were to no avail. And without her father, she knew, deep down, that bad things would be coming her way.

Hinata was already fifteen now. Of marriageable age, one daresay. If one were to glance at Hinata tonight, one would see her as the spitting image of her late mother. Too bad the elders were planning on turning her into a shrine maiden. A pretend-to-be-blind shrine maiden.

"The m – mountain?" said Hinata incredulously, her soft voice a mere whisper. The elders had summoned Hinata in the main hall for the very first time. They had decided to send her to the nearest shrine, which coincidentally happened to be quite far away. Their pathetic excuse of a reason was to "appease" the gods.

"That is correct. With Lord Hiashi's passing a few months ago, the time has come for your cousin Neji, the firstborn of your generation, to succeed as leader of the Hyuga, as well as marry and ensure an heir. Therefore, we cannot afford your presence any longer."

"I – I see…," replied the young maiden, lowering her gaze to her lap. She clasped and unclasped her hands nervously. It was common practice to arrange a marriage between two clashing clans as treaty. And after the recent conflict, she was dreading that very consequence for her younger sister. "When shall I head out?"

"Tomorrow at dawn. Your escort arrived some time ago."

When Hinata entered her private quarters, the first thought that struck her mind was whether she should cut her hair or not. Since birth, it had received minimal trimming. At present, it brushed the floor when she stood straight. She glimpsed her reflection in the mirror; two emotionless round eyes stared back at her. She truly resembled those porcelain dolls on display in the main hall – pretty but merely decorative. Pale and fragile. One careless move and they would come crashing to the ground.

That was how powerless Hinata was against her entire family right now. She could not even set out to avenge her late father. The matter would be dealt with _peacefully_ by the elders.

The next morning, the demon child set off towards the mountain. She would be travelling with two other people on horseback. Her escort comprised of the priestess from the Inari shrine she would be serving and a sunkissed boy with unruly hair named Kiba. He was accompanied by a small white dog which barked merrily at the sight of Hinata.

"Looks like Akamaru likes you already," said Kiba with raised eyebrows and a crooked smile. "That's funny – he's generally not like that with strangers. Hinata, was it?"

"T - That's right," replied the shy Hinata. She peered at her companions curiously. Both sported unique traits. While grinning, Kiba had flashed abnormally sharp canines. But what unsettled Hinata most were their eyes. Kiba had _slits_ for pupils. As for the priestess herself, her irises were –

"Crimson," said the priestess all of a sudden, startling Hinata. Had she felt her staring? Moreover, she was supposed to pretend to be blind… "I was named after the color of my eyes. Kurenai."

"Sensei, I think Hinata's in shock," commented Kiba as he gingerly poked the unblinking girl.

"Eh – ah – please excuse me!" said Hinata as soon as she broke out of her daze. She had not expected the priestess to speak to her out of the blue. "Um, Kiba-kun," she added, leaning slightly towards the teenage boy, "did you just say 'sensei'?"

"Hm? Yeah! I call her Kurenai-sensei. Well, that's because she's pretty much taught me all I know about the area – how to hunt, how to predict the weather, how to find my way across the forest… Oh! And how to communicate with sp—"

Kiba was unable to finish his sentence, for a meat bun had been abruptly stuffed into his mouth.

"Uh?" Hinata blinked once, twice, before realizing that it was the priestess' doing. She looked at Kurenai questioningly, who merely smiled back at her and asked whether she was hungry. Hinata refused politely. Her main concern was currently Kiba, who was trying to munch and talk all at the same time.

"Ah keh tah 'er yih?"

"Please speak after eating, Kiba." Kurenai's voice sounded commanding despite its quiet tone. Confusion was swirling around Hinata's mind by now. "Also, Hinata… Despite what I was told by your family members, you can see perfectly well, can't you?"

Hinata went into shock mode: level two. This time, it was because Kurenai had turned around and locked eyes with her without hesitation. Nobody had previously dared look at her directly, except her own parents. Even her younger sister Hanabi had sometimes felt awkward during the rare moments they had played together.

"Yes…"

Kiba finally managed to swallow a mouthful at that moment. He immediately said, "I can't tell her yet?" to the calm and collected priestess. The latter brushed an invisible speck of dust off her red _hakama_ (long, divided trousers) and readjusted the thick mantle over her white kimono jacket. _I was totally ignored_, he thought gloomily. Recovering quickly, he took to making idle chat with his new companion.

Hinata absently noted that they were riding all the way upstream – now and then she could glimpse the frozen river surface gleaming in the distance. They had passed many glens and bridges while following a narrow dirt path. It was easy to spot in the white expanse since they had set out before the next snowfall. During the rest of the journey, which lasted until dusk, the two of them discussed bits and pieces of their childhood. Occasionally, Kurenai would ask Kiba to tone down a bit whenever he got too excited over his personal anecdotes.

"Aaaand here we are!" exclaimed Kiba as they reached another clearing. Directly on the other side rose a Shinto gate guarded on either side by two statues, followed by an impressive flight of stone stairs. As soon as they arrived at the shrine entrance, Hinata realized that the statues depicted two foxes, each with a scroll in its mouth. The messy-haired boy jumped off his horse and asked Hinata, "Need a hand?"

"No, thank you. I think I will be fi—_kyah_!" While trying to dismount, Hinata had inadvertently stepped on the hem of her kimono. Fortunately, Kiba caught her around the waist before she could fall face first into the snow. "Ah… t – thank you, Kiba-kun." To say that she was embarrassed was an understatement. To her chagrin, she had inherited the trademark Hyuga pride. Therefore, any display of clumsiness made her awfully self-conscious.

Hinata patted her hair cautiously, ensuring that it was still arranged into a perfect bun. In the end, she had not had the heart to cut off the long midnight-blue cascade. To her, it represented the sole souvenir of her deceased mother.

After a look around, Hinata noted that there were a small cottage and an empty stable inside the clearing. She deduced that Kiba and his dog probably lived here and looked after the horses. Her reasoning proved to be true when, once Kurenai had dismounted as well and they stood, luggage in hand, the priestess thanked and dismissed him despite his protests to help. Kiba bowed before trotting off towards the small house. To Hinata's surprise, Akamaru and the horses followed him at once.

"Let's go, Hinata," said Kurenai once she saw light from one of the windows. It was easy to climb up the stone steps since Hinata had not brought much luggage along. After all, she would be living in austerity from now onwards.

Once they reached the top, Hinata immediately caught sight of different types of wooden buildings with tiled rooftops. The main path was lined with lit lanterns hanging from equally distanced wooden poles. "I will show you around the place tomorrow morning," informed Kurenai, "For now, come over —"

"Weeelcome!"

"YOSH! There's a newcomer, 'ttebayo!"

Startled by the sudden voices, Hinata whirled around, only to find no one else with them. "Kurenai… sensei… I think I heard voices just now."

"Wha? Oi, I'm here. Over here! Look up, look _up here_ –"

"We got it, stupid Naruto! Shut up already." There was the clear sound of a punch and what looked like an orange blur suddenly fell to the ground. This caused Hinata to involuntarily jump back in surprise and almost trip over her kimono once again.

For a moment, the orange form lay utterly still. By the lantern light, it was obviously a boy. But to Hinata's astonishment, it had brightly colored _fox ears _and_ tail_. She watched mutely as the boy stirred then got up – unscathed. "Ah! So mean, Sakura- _chaaan_," whined the boy as he tilted his head upwards. Mimicking his gesture, she saw a pink-haired girl floating just above their heads. Pink hair. It was unmistakable: Hinata had seen this color saturated by lantern light countless times before. As for the fox boy, his hair matched the light perfectly. Was it really yellow? In any case, it was the first time that she saw such strange hair – _or was it fur?_ – colors.

Kurenai heaved a sigh. Then with a reluctant voice, she said, "Hinata, here are the guardian fox spirits of this shrine – Naruto is the blond's name and the girl is Sakura."

_Oh! So he is blond_, was the first thought that crossed the new shrine maiden's mind. _Wait a minute – did she just say 'fox _spirits_'? _Her head whipped around in the priestess' direction, eyes wide and speechless.

"Yup! We're the _kitsune _of this shrine," said Naruto cheerfully. Both he and Sakura were wearing what looked like orange and cerise versions of Kurenai's _hakama_ respectively. However, Sakura's kimono jacket and _hakama_ had much shorter sleeves and legs, so much so that Hinata could clearly see the bangles she wore around each wrist and ankle. "Eh… are you alright? You look a bit weird, like you might pass out any moment now –"

And faint she did.

_Hinata!_

_Hinata, wake up!_

_HI-NA-TA!_

"Eh – ah – yes!" said Hinata as she woke up with a start. The sudden movement and unanticipated brightness made her head spin unpleasantly. Where was she, anyway? It took a few seconds before her eyes adjusted to her sunlit surroundings – wooden walls and furniture. It provided a stark contrast to the stone walls and paper screens and silverware she was used to see at home.

Right.

Here was her new "home".

"You're finally up!" chimed in a cheerful voice to her left. Looking around, the new shrine maiden was met with a pair of bright green eyes.

"Sakura-san?"

"How do you feel? You sure gave us a fright yesterday." Her voice sounded apologetic, as though she was regretting something. She scratched her cheek sheepishly as she added, "I guess we should've waited a bit."

"I feel completely fine now, thank you very much. Also, please forgive me in regard of that incident. It was extremely rude of me."

"Oh! Come _on_ – you're way _too_ polite!" said Sakura, placing her hands on her hips. Her posture looked weird since she was floating upside-down. "First the honorific and now you're blaming yourself? Besides, it was mainly our fault for popping out of the blue. Kurenai-san did warn us to lie low… since she wasn't sure if you would be able to see us or not."

Hinata simply contemplated Sakura. Truth be told, she kept on mulling over her words inside her head, wondering how she should phrase her reply. She had always felt awkward around new acquaintances. Moreover, what if she inadvertently offended the _kitsune_? By the time she finally opened her mouth, the other girl, now standing upright, was saying: "Honestly, what we did yesterday was just to tease Kurenai-sensei. Your ability to see us was really unexpected. Hmm… even for Kiba, it took quite some months and much spiritual training."

"Kiba-kun?"

"Ah – did I say too much? Well, anyway, I'll have to stop here. You should get ready and grab something to eat. You didn't have dinner last night."

Before the confused Hinata could respond, the _kitsune_ had vanished through the ceiling. Sighing, she got out of the futon and stood up. The cold surface of the wooden floor was sending shivers up her legs. Clothes similar to those worn by the priestess had been placed on a stool nearby. After getting changed, she made her way out of the small room and explored the place a bit. By the size, it seemed like she was inside the cottage in the clearing.

In what the young _miko_ assumed was the foyer, she found Kiba sitting cross-legged in front of a steaming bowl of soup. Akamaru was sleeping soundly in a corner. As soon as he saw her, his face lit up and they exchanged morning greetings. He handed her a bowl of soup and some bread, which Hinata accepted gratefully. _So hungry!_

At first, the exiled noble observed Kiba's way of eating furtively; it was the first time that she was not using chopsticks to eat a meal.

"You dip, and then eat," said Kiba between mouthfuls. Noticing Hinata's hesitation, he reached over and grabbed her piece of bread. In a swift motion, he scooped some of the soup's contents onto it and pushed the food gently against her lips. She took a bite.

"Is it good?" he asked with a grin.

Hinata promptly nodded.

The rest of the meal passed quietly, occasionally punctuated by Kiba's plans for the day. Since it was winter, they had to look out for the next snowfall and go hunting before then.

"Right! Kurenai-sensei told me about what happened yesterday," said Kiba as they prepared to head out. "No wonder you were out cold. How do you feel now?" Although he spoke as if he was discussing some trivial matter, it was apparent in the awkward tone of his voice that this was a delicate topic for him. Was he apprehending Hinata's reaction?

"It is… a whole new perspective, I guess. To be honest, I was both amazed and scared back then."

"Will you… run away?"

Awkward or not, blunt Kiba was blunt.

"No! Of course not." Hinata shook her head vigorously for emphasis. Had she displayed such vehemence at the castle, her family would have definitely reprimanded her conduct. Here, the people had all accepted her. And strangely enough, they had not commented on her eyes at all. While she did not exactly feel at home yet, this place was definitely better than her previous experience.

"She also wanted me to tell you that you have today off. Your duties will start tomorrow at dawn. 'Get her acquainted to the place,' she said. So, shall we go?"

Hinata nodded.

Naruto's azure eyes twinkled at the sight of the pair coming out of the small house. Without losing time, he darted over to them.

"Hello there! What's up for today?"

Kiba was the first to reply, "I'll show her around. Want to tag along?"

"Sure!"

"What are you guys talking about?" asked a curious Sakura, popping up next to them. Naruto's lively voice has attracted her attention.

In the end, they were four to head into the forest. Kiba and Hinata were sharing the same horse, although the young _miko_ felt like she might fall off the back at any moment. Moreover, they had to endure Naruto's teasing. Still, she had to agree with him that Kiba's ears had gone completely scarlet. As for the female _kitsune_, she was sporting an unreadable expression.

As they rode on, the scenery grew darker. The surrounding snow was shimmering feebly. Overhead, clouds had started to gather, blocking the sunrays steadily.

"Hmm… Seems like there's nothing here –"

"W – Wait, Kiba-kun!" Surprised, Kiba pulled on the reins to halt the horse. Before he could ask what was wrong, Hinata had already jumped off the mount. "Look, over there!" She was pointing in the direction of the river.

_I can't see anything_, thought Kiba as he followed her closely. He called over the two fox spirits, who had been flying ahead of them.

After a while, they neared the river. The first thing that Kiba noticed was its broken surface. Bits and pieces of ice were floating around the streaming water. Cautiously, he drew closer to inspect the damage caused. Something or someone had probably fallen in –

"Are you alright?"

Hinata was crouched over a dark form lying on the bank. As Kiba walked to her side, he saw that she was gingerly shaking the shoulder of an unconscious young man. Or boy. He seemed to be as old as the two of them. Yet, compared to Kiba's robust appearance, this stranger's delicate features reflected a refined upbringing.

"He's drenched to the skin!" exclaimed Hinata, panic edging into her voice. The pale, rigid spots on his black hair informed her that the water was starting to solidify. "If we don't do something quick, he might freeze to death."

At once, Kiba said, "Naruto, Sakura - do you two…?" He looked from one _kitsune_ to the other, taking in their thoughtful faces.

Sakura proposed, "How about a healing technique? I could do it –"

"LIKE HELL I'D LET THAT HAPPEN –"

"Wait! Naruto—"

Almost as soon, Naruto vanished completely and Hinata felt a strange essence envelop her body all at once. Before she could understand what was occurring, her hands took hold of the unconscious boy's face on their own accord. Afterwards, everything went black.

Hinata did not know after how long she came to. When she finally opened her eyes, she was still kneeling by the boy's side with her hands cupping his face. Something was different, though.

The boy was awake.

And staring at her.

Hard.

Embarrassed beyond measure, Hinata relinquished his face and drew her hands to her chest. However, she could not help looking at his sharp eyes – they were of the darkest color she had ever seen. Completely black. And they were normal. If only hers were normal too…

"Who… are you?"

"Hinata. I am from the shrine upstream. Who might you be?"

"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke," he said simply.

_Uchiha_…

Something about this name sounded strangely familiar to Hyuga Hinata. She had heard it before, she was sure of it. And it felt like it had been not too long ago. Maybe if she thought harder, she would remember –

_… A territorial conflict with another noble clan…_

"Leave."

All heads turned in Hinata's direction. She was looking away from Sasuke, her gaze fixated on nothing in particular.

"Could you just tell me where I –"

"Uchiha Sasuke, please leave_ now!_"

Maybe it was her controlled tone, or maybe it was the coldness in her voice, that made him comply silently.

Hinata listened until the crunching became faint before finally getting up. The cold had somewhat numbed her legs. Nevertheless, she willed her body to move forward. Kiba helped her mount the horse; this time he made her sit in front so that he could warm her up. Naruto made an attempt to lift her spirits, but Sakura advised him otherwise.

The fox spirits were quietly leading the way home. At some point, Naruto exchanged some words with Sakura, who shook her head sadly. They shot their protégée discreet looks from time to time, but never brought up the incident. No words, no explanation escaped her lips. She simply wore a mask of indifference.

At last, they reached the familiar clearing. A cold wind welcomed them, stirring up the environs. Once at the stable, Kiba and Hinata dismounted. Since a snowfall was imminent, the hunt was postponed for another day. Naruto and Sakura reluctantly bid them goodbye before vanishing. However, instead of going inside the cottage, Hinata began to walk away.

Seeing where she was headed, Kiba asked, "What are you gonna do there?"

"Pray."

Silently, the demon child entered the shrine.

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**Please review! :)**


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